Stokes Lawn Cafe in Lincoln

Food cold, crisps hard, hot drink was luke warm, disappointing

Great visit for lunch with the family. The food was delicious (albeit slightly pricey for what you get) and the drinks were good. Service was a little slow for not a manic lunchtime, and had to ask for a spoon for the soup, but otherwise a lovely place! We've been previously for coffee and cake, again a little expensive, but lovely choice and taste!

Had a latte at stokes last summer 2023 and sat outside. Great service, excellent coffee. Came in last Monday and ordered two cakes and drinks. Service very good, prompt, pleasant staff. I work in a coffee shop myself which sells Stokes Hot Chocolate and I must say I was very underwhelmed by the one I received. Temperature was good, nicely blended but it seemed "watery" in comparison to what I'm used to. Maybe it's personal opinion on how a hot chocolate should be. Do you make your hot chocolate with skimmed milk? I was expecting creamy and sweet. Suppose I could have added some sugar but it really wasn't what I was expecting, thin and fairly bland. The lemon drizzle cake was also very small in size and quite dry. Again, I'm used to home made cakes/bakes but maybe serve a more generous size or reduce pricing to reflect? The place was lovely and clean and nice atmosphere, so we will try here again to see if our experience improves for an extra ⭐ or two.

Friendly and helpful staff Nice coffee and good selection of cake

This place was great two mornings - lovely staff and really great coffee. However this afternoon they turned 3 customers away at 3.50pm (official hours till 4) because they couldn’t be bothered to serve!

ordered big breakfast, food was lukewarm, no flat mushroom and sausages not very well cooked.will not be ordering again.

Had coffees and cake. Waitress came and took cups without asking if we had even finished. Which i find very rude. And it is very noicey. Not somewere i would go back to.

Ordered a Sausage Ciabatta and a Bacon Ciabatta. Meat was fine but both served in stone cold, stale Ciabattas, hard and inedible. Pointed it out when we left and told they would ‘tell the kitchen’! Check details if you decide to order!

A few of us stopped by for coffee, while they were transitioning from day to evening service. The café was quiet at the time with only 1 or 2 other tables occupied. The waitress appeared unsure about what drinks she was serving to us and seemed to look to us for guidance. One of us ordered a hot chocolate, but it arrived without the chocolate shavings or marshmallows. When we pointed this out, she was surprised and had to add them later. Another issue arose when someone asked for a refill of their filter coffee. The waiter put his finger in the mug and left the saucer on the table. When he returned with the refill, coffee was dripping from his finger, making us question if it was the same mug and whether his fingers had been in our drink. This didn’t seem very hygienic. Overall, the staff didn’t seem fully attentive. Lastly I'm all for atmosphere and background music however on this occasion it was a bit loud. Here are a few suggestions for improvement: - Ensure you know what drinks you’re serving. - Prepare drinks completely; if customers don’t want extras like marshmallows or chocolate shavings, they’ll usually specify. - When collecting cups for a refill, either pick them up by the saucer/handle only or use a tray to avoid direct contact with the mug/drink. -Consider closing for 30 minutes to transition from day to evening service, allowing staff to fully focus on either customer service or restaurant setup

Visited for coffee with friends, but unfortunately, our experience wasn’t the best. The drinks initially brought to us were incorrect, and the music was a bit too loud, making it difficult to chat. My friend ordered a filter coffee, which came with free refills, but the way the waiter handled the mug—placing his thumb inside and later on the rim—felt a bit unhygienic. While the atmosphere has potential, some attention to these details would improve the overall experience."

Very nice food and excellent service cannot fault this place highly recommend.

Excellent service, good was great. Highly recommend :)

Awful Bacon (very thick and overcooked) and the sausages were very poor quality. The egg was okay, but tiny and placed underneath the sausages so it was broken in transit. £15.50 for that is daylight robbery. If you’re looking for a satisfying full English, go anywhere else for both quality and price.

Ordered a tuna melt toastie expecting it to come on nice big thick bread, instead it resembled something squished in a home toaster, nothing special. My husband ordered smoked salmon on bread, not sure what we were expecting but a little better than 2 slices of white bread with a bit of salmon stuck between butter and cream cheese mixed together and nothing else. We used my side salad to spruce it up a bit and make it look & taste something a bit better then something someone’s thrown together at home after looking in the fridge realising they needed to go shopping. Our warm scones came out way before our mains and sat going cold. My order came out before my husbands so he had to sit waiting watching me eat ;) (with his scone going cold on the side). Scone was crumbly and dry making it hard to swallow. The whole thing cost £43 which I expected. Unfortunately it wasn’t worth it and won’t be going back sorry 🫤

Myself and friends and our 2 dogs visited this lovely cafe . We sat outside as it was warm . It was extremely busy but the staff were so helpful especially ‘Sid’ . Food is reasonably priced and a good choice Pay Parking on site . Very pleasant few hours

Overall, a ‘meh’ visit. Sausage roll was good and reasonably priced. Caramel iced latte was vile, way too much syrup in so asked for another plain iced latte to be made which they said they’d happily do. Staff were nice enough, but so slow! Took a while to get my first iced latte, and then when I asked for the new one to be made, another 15 minute wait! Far nicer places on the bail for a good coffee and snack.

A pleasant, clean & welcoming place to visit. The manager is always hanging around making sure everything is ok and often serves on the till too. The coffee is lovely and the food is great. I believe they hold barista classes here too. Toilets are always clean and are a very good standard. I always enjoy visiting here and recommend the place.

Tried this place several years ago and the service was SHOCKING. Tried again a few months ago, really good. Went back a few times and thought, yeah they've really got it sorted now. Then we return because that's what good service does, keeps people coming back and nope, back to the same old RUDE service. Location is great so I suspect they'll always do alright but I prefer to feel like my custom is wanted and thankfully many places in Lincoln do that, just not here. Avoid.

What is it with Stokes cafe in the Lawn? The last couple of times we've been both on a Friday night and during the day we've received a welcome and had table service. Tonight we went there and nobody was bothering to welcome anyone, we waited for a short while then decided to go inside and order. The tall guy in a white shirt said you order 'over there's by the bar, I said that was unusual as especially in the evening somebody brought us menus out and we ordered then. He said that's not how it works, I ( probably wrongly) repeated that wasn't our recent experience, he walked off saying ' it'says it on the door ' as if he really didn't want to be there. He's correct it DOES say it on the door, but certainly in the evenings that's not been how it was, we'd been pleased that it looked like Stokes now had a new management team who actually welcome customers rather than acting like they'll be successful however they welcome (or not) their potential customers. I was so angry with the attitude of this member of staff that we left without ordering anything. It's a shame because we'd been really impressed the last few times we've been there, living round the corner we're definitely local and potentially regular customers, not tourists. They should be more careful who they employ.

Staff rude service poor atmosphere unwelcoming.. Enjoy the lawn beautiful, but take a picnic and stay away from stokes.

Lovely place to eat and drink in Lincoln near the Cathedral.

I have been to Stokes now a few times and was very pleased eith the food, service and the place as a whole. I am not ftom Lincoln, but my daughter and family live here so when I visit, I am treated with this lovely place, the food is amazing and the staff and manager are amazing. It was my birthday snd was treatef with a nice bit of chocolate cake from the house. This is my favourite place to visit for a bite yo eat. Thank you to all the team 👍

Great food, friendly and welcoming staff, nice atmosphere…great parking , .im fast becoming a regular after having breakfast and dinner here on several occasions

I usually get stokes coffee from just eat, and it’s good, however this random time the order on the app said it had arrived but it didn’t. Had 2 get a refund. Not happy.

Came here for a birthday lunch with a large family group; food was lovely, excellent service, easy access for pushchairs etc and relaxed surroundings. Would highly recommend for a large gathering: all the food and drinks arrived on time and was excellent. Will visit again!

We came here as the menu said gluten free granola but they didn’t have any so my missus decided not to bother. I had a coffee and considering this is supposed to be a Stokes coffee place, it was poor and the cup smelled like it had been left wet and smelled awful. My wife had a glass of apple juice £3.95 what????

A disappointing meal. I had eggs benedict with smoked salmon. The muffins were not buttered and the tiny portion of smoked salmon barely covered the muffin. My daughter had the smashed avocado with smoked salmon. Again, a tiny portion of smoked salmon, unbuttered soda bread and over cooked poached eggs (hard yolks). In fairness, I've eaten well here previously so perhaps the chef was having a bad day (or they were running out of smoked salmon!). The coffee was great as were the very friendly waiting staff.

Great little find whilst staying in Lincoln. The was amazing and the staff were so friendly and helpful. The cafe is dog friendly too. Highly recommended

Booked the private room overlooking the roastery for a family afternoon tea. The staff were fantastic and the food was super. We had a great time.

Our second visit to the weekend evening dining here and absolutely delighted with the quality of the food, great quality wines, and exceptional service - and all at a very reasonable price! It’s going to be one of our regular spots, happy to recommend this place for dinner - keep up the great work 🍽️🍷👏🏻👏🏻

Sausage sandwich lovely, fruit scone very low on fruit but tasty! Mini doughnuts awful, saturated in oil! Do not order

Polite prompt staff. I ordered Eggs Benedict florentine. In the description the eggs are poached. They were hard boiled. (Shelled, but smooth) I also ordered skin on fries. They were cold. No quibbles when asked to change the fries over though. Again polite staff. The portion size for price felt small. Muffin was on the small size and the eggs (though I didn’t order hard boiled egg) would be classified as small in a supermarket box. Previous visits the coffee hasn’t been great but I feel they have upped there game with this. My cappuccino tasted good.

We had afternoon tea here and it was delightful. All food was fresh and delicious. Vegetarian option was fabulous too. Lovely atmosphere and with the doors open and the heat outside it was nice and cool inside. We weren’t hurried away after we had eaten, nice and relaxing afternoon. Thank you

We ordered and waited half an hour watching later orders being served. Despite asking, still nothing arrived so gave up and went elsewhere. Poor service.

Astounding place, very friendly inc allowing your dogs inside. Excellent customer service. I had the veggie breakfast my friend had the full english which could not be faulted in any way. Wide range of foods and the price range is really good inside. The atmosphere is really chilled with a good vibe. Defiantly as place I will be coming back to and recommend to anyone visiting Lincoln. There is also a large carpark that is cheap that also allows camper vans, there is no facilities for an over night sleep but they do allow you to sleep in your vans overnight.

Visited for brunch, good menu choices, served promptly and food was great. Coffee was nice as well. Will definitely be back.

Lovely place up near the castle. Great local coffee and an accommodating menu and staff. Plenty of Vegan Options and variety to choose from, and all the food we had was great.

Had a train to catch and 3 people to feed so cheekily asked if they could possibly feed us quickly (it was fairly busy). The staff were ridiculously accommodating, and had us fed and on our way in record time! Lovely breakfasts, lovely coffee, lovely service. 10/10!

I went here with my husband and friend for coffee and cake and also to buy coffee beans. Lily was our server and I can't praise her enough. She was very professional but also so cheerful and could have a laugh with us. I would also like to say that she is a great asset to your team. By the way your coffee excellent also

Amazing from the moment we stepped in. Amazing service and breakfast! 100% will be coming back next time I’m in Lincoln.

Had a fantastic brunch here this morning. Full English was delicious made better by a lovely waitress called Mabel, she is a credit to the place. Well done Stokes and Mabel!!

We had a fabulous tea tasting workshop today. I bought this for a Christmas present for my wife. I'm so glad I went along. The workshop was very informative and full of information, from the history of tea to the actual tasting. , Michael was so knowledgeable and delivered the course with such professionalism. If tea, coffee or chocolate are your interest then we would highly recommended you give the course a try.

Took my mum for afternoon tea for Mother’s Day and it was amazing. Probably one of the best afternoon teas we have ever had. The staff were accommodating and pleasant. Not a bad word to say about the experience.

Thank you for providing exceptional food, I purchased this as a treat for my parents and they adored every bite! Thanks again

We were staying over the road and thought we would visit for breakfast on our last morning. The cafe was not busy, we were quickly seated and given menus. We ordered 2 full English breakfasts, one with scrambled egg and the other with fried. They came reasonably quickly, but disappointingly, the scrambled eggs were obviously microwaved, and the fried eggs 'snotty', the bacon was like leather and the beans cold. The toast was warm bread. Now, having read other reviews, this seems to be a theme, which is a real shame as you clearly do not listen to customer feedback. In an amazing city, with such great eating places, you're sadly missing a trick!

Thought I would stop and have brunch well a late breakfast, being a Gluten Free diner I had already checked out the menu. Lots of choice, friendly and helpful staff and only minutes from the castle and cathedral. Excellent spot of lunch with the Lawns Car Park right next door.

First visit on a Saturday - Lovely cafe with fab food. Pancakes are the best! Second visit today - my wife had 3 pancakes that were clearly not cooked on the day. Appeared to be re-heated in a microwaves, as dry as old biscuits and black/burnt on the bottom sides. Wrong hot chocolate served as well. First thing in the morning so not even busy. Really quality control issues, needs to be consistent.

Absolutely exceptional 5 star plus!

Must of been nice, me pup nicked the sandwich and ate it In one, personally I hope he hated it, I was looking forward to that

Stopped for cocktails on a Friday evening and didn't have food, but it did look rather wonderful! A lovely spot to spend an hour or two, with decent music vibes. The drinks were great - thanks to the team for making us feel so welcome! 🍸💜

We visited in half term with 5 children and had a fabulous lunch. There was something for everyone - a great children’s menu with the usual favourites on it but the adult menu had a great range of things that were more of a treat for us mums. We had the bbq chicken and pulled pork wraps and they were delicious. Really good skin on fries too and the portion sizes were really good. We were sat in a little room away from the main area, which was great with having a larger group and with the children. The staff were attentive and helpful and we didn’t have to wait too long for food which was a real bonus with having so many hungry kids with us! Would definitely recommend a visit and bring regular breakfast visitors too, would definitely recommend the English Breakfasts and the pancakes with honeycomb butter! A real gem of a place!

We booked in advance for afternoon tea for 3. One gluten free, one vegetarian and one regular. We arrived about 20 minutes early but our table was ready and we received a friendly greeting. We were guided to our table and our drink orders were taken. The coffee and tea were both excellent and plentiful. The food was very nicely presented and all tasted delicious. My sister said the gluten free scone was the best she’d ever tasted! We all had a selection of sandwiches, quiche, ‘sausage’ roll, scone with jam and clotted cream and a large selection of cakes/treats. There was a great atmosphere and the staff were very attentive. We all felt it was very good value for money and would return.

Food is good. Quite expensive. 2 breakfasts 2 coffees and a pressed coffee was £38.00. The cafe is clean and dog friendly. The tables are very close together not comfortable for adjoining tables or those dinning if you have a pram. I would go again but not often.

Very generous amount of Chicken.. perfect thank you

Nice cafe to get a coffee and cake. Went on a Saturday afternoon after being in town, we thought it may be a little busy and indeed it was but we were still promptly seated. Service was excellent from all the staff, and it was nice that most items could be altered for my dietary needs. Will definitely be back:)

Very disappointing service today. We live around the corner from The Lawns and we are regular customers at Stokes. This afternoon, we decided to pop in with a friend for a coffee and cake. We were quickly offered a table and within reasonable time, someone took our order of 3 hot drinks and 3 cakes. We sat chatting and noticed lots of people left and the shop quietened down all but for a group of approx 8 or so, that came in. After at least half an hour we realised we still hadn’t received our order and the staff appeared to be cleaning, but not making coffees. We asked if our drinks would be coming soon. The waiter looked a little bemused but then went and started making our drinks. It was very obvious that our order had been forgotten. We weren’t especially bothered and when the waiter eventually brought our order over 40 minutes after we ordered, we light heartedly suggested that he had forgotten us. Instead of admitting this, he argued that he hadn’t but that he had been busy with the large group that came in. Despite the fact that they came in after we ordered. Oh well, I picked it up to take my first sip when another member of staff plonked the bill on the table and said “there’s no hurry, but here’s the bill, you can pay anytime”. She then stood over us and showed me she had the card machine in her hand and said I can take it now if you’re ready? I politely declined as we had waited sometime for our drinks and was hoping to enjoy them before being asked to pay. Please train your waiting staff to at least be honest if they’ve forgotten an order and let customers at least taste the drink/food before you ask them to pay. Or ask for payment when the order is taken.

Fed up of being ripped off by the manager. I order a small Latte for my wife to take out, the staff charge for a small Latte, the manager always over charges by charging for the larger size.

Love the scones, tried the gluten free fruit scone and it is really nice. Definitely recommend.

The manager at the Lawns rips me off every time he serves me by overcharging for the next size up. The staff can charge correctly, but he deliberately and knowingly overcharges.

We had a delicious breakfast this morning. It was served remarkably quickly considering the volume of customers. What was noteworthy was the friendly welcome to everyone who came through the door given by the manager, Sid, in person

I’m a sucker for a good afternoon tea and this place absolutely delivered!! A beautiful selection of afternoon tea classics where I was left struggling to pin point one item to be my favourite! It was beautifully and classically presented and the tea and coffee was obviously on point being stokes! Husband booked this for us for lunch on my birthday and we looked into the stokes coffee factory so kids loved looking at all the gear in there through the window. Every member of staff despite it clearly busy made time and effort with everyone and we’re just lovely people! Beautiful venue, beautiful people, beautiful food and drink and made for a lovely relaxed birthday experience! Thank you so much!

Excellent! Today we showed up when it was very busy! We were greeted so warmly and they made avalibilty very quickly. Despite how busy the food was excellent the coffee perfect and the manager Sid and staff exceptionally warm and with very little waiting! The place under such good management had a brilliant vibe. I would definitely be going back and highly recommend!!

Once again, excellent service and food. The venue was busy, but Sid the manager was fast, efficient, and very pleasant. He found us a table, took our order and promptly delivered our drink order. The full English breakfast was tasty and of excellent quality. Sid was attentive without being imposing. It just goes to show how a single member of staff can vastly improve the customer experience if they are motivated, efficient and capable. Other Lincoln venues could well do to take note.

We went for breakfast at this cafe it’s very clean and staff very welcoming. Service wasn’t rushed and the breakfast was absolutely delicious cooked to perfection. Tried a few around Lincoln this tops them all. Produce used is of very good quality and tasty. Give it a try you won’t be disappointed at all.

This very friendly cafe in the historical centre of Bailgate area is such a wonderful place to visit. Staff always very welcoming and nothing is too much trouble with the food ordering. We enjoyed a light pre Christmas lunch and dessert prior to seeing a Christmas event at the majestic Lincoln cathedral. We ate tomato and basil pesto soup with bread. I had a lemon 🍋 drizzle with clotted cream and my friends had the delicious Maltesers Tiffin .

Disappointing, my breakfast was disgusting, all 3 eggs were burnt, so was the bacon and the sausages. It made me feel sick afterwards. Shame really because the place is really nice and the staff were lovely I just felt the food let them all down. I wouldn’t go back again or advise others eat there unless they make changes to their chefs. This was the only opportunity for me to eat out with my work pals at Christmas I now wish we had gone elsewhere. Sorry about the bad review but it just wasn’t good food.

We’re a small group of pretty easy to please friends who aren’t fussy & have no history of complaining (just for context). We met for coffee and brunch. There were things unavailable, then a couple of problems with food & then one pretty major issue...

Amazing afternoon tea - all fresh homemade and very tasty Would recommend for anyone to come and try .

We went for afternoon tea and the food was amazing and freshly made, staff were lovely and helpful. We loved our treat and will definitely be going back!

Was an amazing afternoon tea, fresh homemade food, lovely and amazing staff. Bring a toothbrush you won’t want to leave.

Served by Alda, the most amazing waitress ever! So kind and fun and the english breakfast is delicious 🤩. Obrigada

Lovely little cafe - there is an open court plus a few more private dining areas. The food is very good. I had the full English. We were served Alda who is a bloody legend!

Ask for Alda if you want a show with your food

Great service and food. Alda was an absolute joy to kick off our weekend with a warm, friendly, and cheerful service!

I have only positive things to say, great atmosphere, fab food, refills on filter coffee & dog friendly (massive plus). The breakfasts are excellent and I very much enjoy the lunch menu too. Really accessible also 👍

Lovely cream tea with friends. Rizvaan thank you for excellent service and being so attentive. The cream scones where to die for. Left feeling totally full up

Visited today with extended family, excellent coffees and delicious food! Service was very attentive and it’s nice to see the staff smiling and going beyond! Will definitely recommend!!!

Thank you so much Alda. You welcomed us, you got a quiet room prepared for us at short notice, you were patient, kind and thoughtful. Our food was wonderful, and so we're you. Stokes, take care of Alda. She is a special person.

Abysmal! Thought I’d give them one more chance but sad to say they have not improved. Wrap and fries were stone cold. Tiny bit of coleslaw dry and discoloured - looked like it had been swept up off the floor! No jam with scone, only cream. I mean, really guys- where is the quality control? Do you not care about your customers?

Breakfast wrap was really small, seems a bit expensive for something no bigger than a chocolate bar. Ingredients were good though.

Tuna melt not toasted and beans were totally cold. Chips were warm.

I used to really love Stokes lawn cafe but honestly this was disgusting. Had the mushroom and egg ciabatta. It was covered in soggy lettuce, and was floating in loads of liquid, the eggs were cold on arrival, and the bread was soggy. The meal was so sad I held a two minute silence for the eggs.

This was my first visit and sadly I won't be returning, I stood at the door waiting to be seated for 5 minutes, with staff not even acknowledging I was there, then as a group we waited 15 minutes before being asked what drink we...

Called in for breakfast Saturday 4th November with my sister. We had coffee and the most tasty mushrooms on toast ever! Sis had hers on ciabatta, I had brown sour dough. The staff were welcoming and friendly, service was very quick. The cafe is lovely...

Appalling service! Ordered two brunch items and a coffee…order was 25 minutes late, one item was stone cold and the restaurant didn’t even put the other item in the bag!! I rang the restaurant and the lady said there’s nothing they can do once the order has left the building…perhaps putting the food the customer has ordered in the bag before it leaves the building would be a good idea!!!! Will not be using Stokes Lawn ever again!

First visit today and was very disappointed. After being there 45 minutes had to ask to order food. When it arrived (full English) it had clearly been sat all day and was not freshly cooked. Sausage was dry, bacon was like cardboard and the eggs...

Ordered brunch in the Just Eat app. Not only was the food 25 minutes late, but my food was stone and cold and my husbands food was missing! When I rang the restaurant to enquire about the missing food I was spoken to quite rudely...

Nice music, nice seating, nice drinks...

Unique atmosphere and decor, and the staff are really lovely too. Well worth a pop in for a coffee!

Wonderful brunch, perfectly prepared and served with grace and politeness. The coffee was delightful and so competitively priced. A REAL TREAT! Thank you ❤

The service is excellent and the food is yummy, I had the most yummy lincolnshire sausage roll and a cold diet Coke which was very welcome after walking round town and up steep hill. Thankyou I will be back again 😀

I’m puzzled as to why, whenever I come here, I wait an age for my coffee? I’ve never had my cake/slab/bun, actually with my coffee!! It’s a coffee shop so surely they’ve got it off to a fine art by now?!

Excellent service and excellent food. Highly recommend visiting, will be going back again very soon.

Missing item yet again. Does no-one ever check the orders?

Sandwiches and burgers were nice, but the chips were quite undercooked so that was disappointing. Took us a long time to get served too. Not cheap considering it wasn’t the best.

Service was excellent, but the chips were horrificly salty. When we told the staff they said it had been mentioned several times! It's odd that it still hasn't been rectified

Had breakfast with my daughter at Stokes for her birthday in September, it was so good we visited again today as we were at the top of Lincoln. The Lawn has great parking and good disabled access. The full English was tasty and filling, served...

We had the High Tea here and it was lovely. Lord knows they serve enough food to feed an army and they are not as dainty/refined as some tea rooms but the food is delicious and the service friendly. I loved the sausage rolls that...

We had a great Sunday morning waking around Lincoln with our dog and decided to visit Stokes lawn cafe, we were not disappointed the food was really nice obviously the coffee was amazing as a stokes coffee seller. The food was nice but quite expensive, it can get really busy so be prepared to wait for a table. It’s dog friendly and the atmosphere and views of Lincoln castle were amazing. Recommend for Sunday brunch.

Great food and service in a fabulous part of the city. Lots of options for those who are restricted on what they can eat. Only trouble was choosing from the menu. Really good Coffee.